Engine starting apparatus



Mmh zo, 1934.

R. 'M NARDQNE ENGINE. STARTINGv APPARATUS FledDeG. 17. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ...n um

March 20, 1934. R. M. NARDONE ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS `Filed Dec. 17, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR. Romeo M. Nardo/:e

\ Y BY WW2/if i@ Patented Mar. 2o, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oPr-lcE ENGINE STARTmG APPARATUS Romeo M. Nardone, East Orange, N. J., assignr,

by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation ACorporation, East Orange, New Jersey A Application December 17,

(Cl. 12S-179) 18 Clims.

cludes, in combination, a starter anda booster magneto or other accessory driven by the starter.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with an inertia starter, a booster magneto or other accessory adapted to be driven by the inertia element of the starter.

Another object is to provide, in combination 'with an inertia starter, an accessory adapted to be driven by the Starter flywheel, the accessory being disconnected from said starter during the time that energy is being stored in the ywheel.

In Patent N'o. 1,714,913 granted lto Raymond P. Lansing, May 28, 1929, a manually controlled mechanism for this purpose is disclosed, and in- 'cludes means for manually connecting the flywheel with the engine crankshaft, and by the same action, with the shaft of themagneto. Such conjoint action is effected through interconnecting linkage which is manually operated after suiiicient energy has been stored in the flywheel. The present invention involves the replacement of such interconnecting, manually controlled linkage, with a torque controlled mechanism operating to drivably connect4 the flywheel and magneto rotor when the flywheel acceleratingprocess is discontinued', such action being automatic and independent of the means for drivably connecting the starter with the vengine crankshaft, although dependent upon and responsive to the establishment of such driving connection. In this connection, a feature of the invention is the provision of a driving connection in the form of a friction clutch normally held in the disengaged position by yieldable means, but adapted to be engaged byfa cam, helical groove, or screw thread construction which translates the rotary movement of the iiywheel into a longitudinal movement along the axis of rotation of the.flywheel,

' as soon as the drive from the latter to the engine is established.

Other objects of the invention reside in the specic construction, inter-relation and manner of operation of the parts associated with the iiywheel and magneto drive above referred to, and embrace the use of said parts in surroundings other than those above suggested, at least to the extent that such parts are capable of other applications.

Additional objects and features of the inven- N. J., a corporation of 1932, Serial'No. 647,895

tion will become apparent from the following description, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not to be construed as 00 a denition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. l

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through 65 a deviceA embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a central longitudinal Section of a part of the cranking shaft not included in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in'perspective of a portion of the meshing mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view along line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

` Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional'view along line 5 5 of Fig. 1;

, Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view along the 75 line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a View in elevation with parts broken away. and others in section, at right angles to the viewpoint of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the starter mecha- 80..

nism comprises a` housing including a anged inner portion 4 adapted to be attached to the engine casing 5. Similarly attached tothe outer face of flanged member 4 is a housing member 6,

having an annular face at its lower end to receive A screws 7 which constitute the means for attaching in any desired angular position, a handcrank housing 8. l

Rotatably mounted in the handcrank housing 8 is a shaft 10 which carries'on the end thereof that 90 projects outwardly from said housing a sleeve 11 adapted to be engaged by the usual handcrank (not shown). A

Fixedly secured to the inner end of shaft 10 is a bevel gear 13 which meshes with a bevel gear 14 95 that is preferably splined to the hub extension 15 .of a. spur gear 16, the gears 14 and 16 being held against movement with respect to thev housing `member 6 by engagement with oppositely facing annular surfaces of the doubly counter-bored boss 17 of the housing member 6. A retaining nut 18, threaded onto extension 15, holds gears 14 and 16 against bearings 19 and 21, respectively, located in the counter-bored portions of the boss 17. A pinion 22 and hollow shaft23 connectgear16 105 I with a barrel 24 which is rotatably mounted, as by means o f ball bearings 26 and 27, in the ilanged housing member 4. The closed end of barrel 24- is provided with a flange 28 from which extend three tubular sleeves 29 one of which is Shown 110 2 f in section in Fig. 1. Each of these sleeves which are spaced at intervals of 120 around the inner face oi' flange 28 is pressed into a counterbore in said iiange, and is secured to a retaining ring 31.

Screws 32 pass through the sleeves and are f threaded into flange 28. Ball bearings 33 are mounted on these sleeves and rotatably support three planetary gears 34, one 'of which is shown in section, and one in elevation.

Rigidly secured to the face of the flanged housing member 4 is an annular gear 36 which surrounds and meshes with the planetary gears 34,y

Each of the latters gears is in mesh with a sun gear 38 which is rotatably mounted on the hollow shaft 23, and said sun gear is formed integrally with a ange fastened to a spur gear 39 which is likewise rotatably mounted about the shaft 23, concentric therewith.

In engagement with spur gear 39 is a pinion41 that is formed integral with the inner end of a shaft 42. The housing member 6 is provided with a hub 43 concentric with the longitudinal axis of shaft 42 and positioned in. said hub are ball bear' ings 44 which rotatably support the hub of afly- Wheel 46 adapted to be drivably connected. with the shaft 42 by means forming one of the novel features of the invention now to be described.

A booster magneto having a rotor 48 is mounted in the housing 49 connecting through an intermediate gear housing 51 with the housing portion 6 of the starter and novel means are provided for driving said magneto and rotor 48 from the flywheel 46. For this purpose the hub 53 of the flywheel is coarsely threaded, internally, to engage a' correspondingly pitched thread formed on the periphery of a sleeve 54 connected with the shaft 42 by a key 56 fitting within a groove extending the full length of the inner bore of the sleeve and` serving to prevent relative rotation between said sleeve and shaft while permitting relative axial movement therebetween. At its inner end the sleeve 54 terminates in a flanged portion 57 having a cone surfaced rim 58 adapted to frictionally engage the correspondingly tapered ring 59 secured within a cup-shaped element 61 and constitutingv in conjunction with the cone 58 a frictionvclutch which is normally held in the disengaged position indicated in Fig. 1 by the action of a spring 62, one end of which engages the sleeve 54 and the other end of which abuts a flange 63, formed on the shaft 42. Integral with the cup-shaped member 61 is an velongated hub 64 piloted in a sleeve bearing 66 mounted in the hub 67 of a cage 68 constituting a retainer for the idler pinions or planets 69 of a planetary gear set drivably connecting the shaft r42 with the magnetorotor 48, to be further described.

In order to make it possible to mount the rotor 48 in axial alignment with the inertia element 46, and at the same time effect a decided reduction 4in axial length of the rotor without any corresponding reduction in the emciency of the magf .,mon axis of rotation. As shown, the endsof the barmagnetsare embedded in arcuate shoes 76 and 77,' through which pass bolts or rivets 78 serving to hold end plates 79 and 8l of the rotor 48 ably mounted in a ball bearing cage 83 whichis in turn supported by the transversely' disposed wall 84.' formed on the central casing section 49, and retained therein from lateral movement by an inset sleeve 86.

The induction coil87 has the usual primary and secondary 'Windings'and is preferably mounted withv the Vaxis of its core 88 disposed in the plane of the axes'of the inductor elements 72, 73 and 74, and parallel to said axes when the rotor 48 is 90 displaced from the position indicated in Fig. 7. As shown, the coreA 88 is of laminated soft iron, with its ends 89 and 91 secured by suitable means 92 to cooperating laminas which extend downwardly and are curved as indicated at 93 and 94 respectively, to correspond to the curvature of the arcuate pole pieces 76 and 77 above described, and thus coact therewith in causing an alternating magnetic flux to traverse the magnetic circuit passing therethrough, as the oppoksitely magnetized pole pieces 76 and 77 traverse the core ends 93v and 94 in their rotation about their common axis. Pins 96 extend through core extensions 93 and 94 and are received at their ends in ears 97 on the supporting wall 84.

The tapered end 98 of the shaft 82 has mounted thereon, ina suitable manner, as indicated at 99, a cam 101 having; a plurality of lobes adapted to actuate a. member 102 of insulating material constituting a cam follower, and as shown is affixed to the end of a flexible metallic arm 103 suitably anchored, as indicated at 104, to a disc 106 adjustably secured (for angular movement relative tothe cam lobes as indicated at 107) to the transverse wall 84 of the casing section 49 and having intermediate its ends a contact post 108 normally in abutment with a corresponding contact post 109 mounted on the end of the extending arm 111 of the insulated terminal post 112 to which the primary circuit lead 113 (Fig. 1) may be secured. Theportion of the housing diametrically opposite that in which the induction coil is mounted may be utilized to house the condenser 114 which is preferably included in a circuit connected in shunt with the contact 108 just referred to. As shown, the condenser is mounted on a plate 115 secured by suitable means 116 to boss 117 of the inner surface of the casing section 49. The end cap 110 secured to the casing section 49 by the screws 118 is readily removable to permit inspection andA servicing of the interrupter mechanism just described.

Diametrically opposite the boss 117, the casing section 49 is apertured to receive a fitting `119 enclosing an insulator member 120 which is centrally apertured to receive a.y cable 121 having the usual flexible connection 122 with the secondary Winding of the induction coil.

As above described, the gear reduction includes a plurality of planets 69 mounted in a cage 68 and adapted to mesh with the teeth formed internally on a fixed annular element 123 secured in position between the opposing faces on the surfaces of the transverse wall 124 of the casing section 51 and annular supporting plate 125 acting to clamp the gear 123 to the wall 124 and is in turn secured to said wall by the fastening means 126. The plate 125 is flanged, as indicated at 127, to retain in place the outer race of the ,ball bearing assembly 12s, in which function it is assisted by the retainer ring 129 secured as indiy frictional engagement one with the other.

cated at 131 to the plate 125, the inner race of the ball bearing assembly being held to a shoulder formed on the elongated hub 64 of the clutch element 61 by the provision of a retainer collar 132 secured in a circumferentially cut groove on the said hub 64.

Furtheralong the said hub 64 there is a. reduction in diameter, and at this point the hub is toothed to form the sun gear 133 of the planetary gear train, the said sun gear being adapted to mesh and drive the plurality of idler pinions or, planets 69 above referred to, which are thus caused to roll about the gear 123 as a circular track, and thus transmit rotation at a reduced speed to the hub 67 above described.

A pin 136 passes through the extended hub 137 integral with, or secured to, the end plate 79 of the magneto rotor; the ends of said transversely disposed pin being adapted to pass. through diametrically opposed apertures in the lateral surface of the sleeve 67 to drivably connect the gear train with the rotor 48. y

When it is desired to rotate. the flywheel in order to store energy therein for starting the. internal combustin engine, on which the starter is mounted, the operator actuates the handcrank and this motion is transmitted through shaft 10, gears 13, 14, 16 and 22, shaft 23, driving barrel 24, planetary gears 34, sun gear 38, and spur gear 39 and pinion 41 to the flywheel.

'Ihe energy of the rotating ywheel 46 is imparted to the usual starter jaw or driving member 40 adapted to mesh with, but normally out of engagement with, a similar jaw 45 formed on the end portion 47 of the crankshaft of the engine to be started, or an extension thereof. The usual multiple disc clutch is preferably interposed between the starter jaw 40 and barrel 24, which latter, during the starting operation, is driven by the flywheel through the train of gearing described above.

In the form shown, theclutch mechanism comprises a plurality of plates 139 in interleaving and One half of said plates are splined to the inner surface of the surrounding barrel 24, closely adjacent the closed end of the latter. Alternating with the discs that are splined to the barrel, are the remaining half of the discs which have splined engagement at their inner peripheries with the outer surface of a nut 138, provided with a anged portion 140 which bears against a rimmed annular plate 141 which operatively engages the outer disc or plate 139. An annular spacer 142 bears against ange 140 and transmits to the latter the pressure of a plurality of coil springs 143 which have operative engagement at their. outer ends with a clutch adjusting nut 154 threaded into the outer end of barrel 24. Preferably springs 143 are maintained in spaced relation by means of suitable posts 155 which project inwardly from a disc 153, contacting with the inner face of said nut- 154. Threaded within nut 138 and adapted for rotary, longitudinal movement relative thereto, is a shaft 156 provided with splines at its outer end to receive the interiorly splined tubular portion 35 o f starter jaw 40. Secured to the inner end of 1shaft 156 is a stop nut 152 for limiting movement of shaft 156 outwardly with respect to nut 138. The usual meshing rod 157 slidably extends through shaft 156, and jaw 40, said rod being provided intermediate its ends with a shoulder which normally engages the inner end of shaft 156. Surrounding the ending' end of rod 157 is a spring 158 which bears at one end against the inner face of starterjaw 40 and at its opposite end against the threaded shaft 156. Preferably the latter is provided with a recess into which a portion of spring 158 extends. The starter jaw is maintained on meshing rod 157. by means of a nut 159 threaded onto the outer end of said rod.

`To the opposite end of meshing rod 157 there is pivotally connected a lever arm 160 thatis rigidly attached to a rockshaft arm 161 (Figs. 1 y and 3). One end of shaft 161 projects exteriorly of Ahousing 6 and carries a lever arm 162. A coil spring 163 surrounds rod 161, within the housing 8, and one end of said spring is connected to lever arm 160l while the opposite end 164 is anchored in a boss 165 of the housing, the spring being so disposed as to act through rod 157 and nut 159 to maintain starter jaw 40 out of mesh` with the engine jaw 45.

'I'he operation of the device is as follows: The operator rotates the handcrank and this motion is transmitted through the gears above described to the flywheel 46, whereby the latter is rotated. The concurrent rotation of barrel 24 acts through the clutch mechanism and shaft 156 to rotate the starter jaw 40, but said jaw is maintained out of driving engagement with the engine shaft by the action of spring 163 on meshing rod 157. Since no load is on jaw 40, barrel 24,A clutch platesv 139, but 138, shaft 156 and said'jaw 40 rotate as a unit.

When the accelerating process has proceeded sufficiently to store the desired amount of energy in the ywheel 46, the operator discontinues the cranking eiort applied to the shaft 42 and actuates rod 157 to connect elements 40 and 45, whereupon the y wheel 46 becomes the driver with respect to the sleeve 54, and the latter is accordingly screwed to the right by the camming action of the driving surfaces of the threads on the hub 53. Such axial movement of the sleeve 54 to the right compresses the spring 62 and causes the cone 58 to frictionally engage the other element 59 of the friction' clutch and the latter then acts, through the-shaft 64, sun gear and planets 69 to impart rotary movement to the rotor 48 of the magnetowhich thereupon coacts with the windings of the induction coil to generate a current to supply the necessary igniting sparks in the combustion chamber of the engine. concurrently therewith the engine member 47 is rotated in response to the transmission of torque from flywheel 46 to the now engaged members 40 and 45.

As soon as the engine starts under its own power, the speed of rotation of jaw 45 becomes greater than the speed of rotation of jaw 40, and 130 creates a tendency for the latter jaw to be driven, whereupon the threaded connection between shaft 156 and nut 138 results in these parts being returned to normal position, if bell crank lever 162 has been released and spring 163 has returned 135 rod 157 to normal position. l'n the event that rod 157 is held in meshing position for a brief period after the engine starts under its own power, no damage will result because the inclined surfaces of the 'teeth of jaws 40 and 45 are eective to force jaw 40 to the right against the tension of spring 158. After the engine starts under its own power the ignition current is supplied by the engine driven magneto and the starter parts come to rest. concurrently therewith, spring 62becomes 145 effetiveto return the sleeve 54 to the position indicated in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging the clutch.

58, 61, and allowing the booster magneto to come to rest.

There is thus provided means whereby` a CII booster magneto is adapted to be automatically connected with and disconnected from the flywheel of an inertia starter. vSince the ywheel drives the booster magneto at a very high speed,

a small light magneto may be employed. Thev starter is extremely. compact and may be readily installed on or removed from its support. Due to the simplified construction and light weight of the apparatus, it is particularly adapted for use with aeroplane engines, but is not limited to such use. For the purposes of description, there is illustrated and describedV herein a particular the magneto rotor at high speed. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the various parts, including the gearing, may be modified in any suitable manner to secure any desired speed of rotation of the magneto rotor, and changes may be made in the size and type of magneto employed to conform to such speed.`

Likewise, as above suggested, vthe novel features of the drive may be utilized to drivably connect the iiywheel or other starter part (when the starter employed is not of the inertia type) with some other accessory or attachment in lieu of the magneto, as for example, an oil or fuel pump or supercharger. Various other changes may be made in the details of construction of the apparatus and the arrangement ofthe parts. Reference will therefore be had to the appended' claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an engine starter, an auxiliary engine unit mounted on said starter, means including normally disengaged members for operatively connecting said auxiliary unit and starter, and means for automatically moving said members into driving engagement, after the storage of starting energy in the driving element -of the starter has been completed.

2. In combination with an engine starter, a magneto mounted on said starter, magneto driving means forming a part of said starter, and torque responsive means for automatically connecting said driving means with said magneto.

3. In combination with an engine starter, an engine accessory adapted to be rotated at high speed by said'starter, means including normally disengaged clutch elements for imparting the rotation of said starter to said accessory, and means operable automatically following completion of the acceleration of the starter for engaging said clutch elements.

4. In combination with an engine starter, an engine accessory, means for driving said accessory including a slidable clutch member, and means. for moving said clutch member into driving position, said means including a starter driven screw thread and a cooperating screw thread on said slidable clutch member.

5. In combination with starting mechanism `for an internal combustion engine having an engine member, a driven member engageablewith said engine member, an auxiliary engine'unit adjacent the starting mechanism, means for moving said drivenmemberinto engagement with the engine member, and helical means operating onlyafter establishment of said rst engagement for establishing a driving connection between said starting mechanism and said auxiliary unit.

6. In combination with engine starting mechaf nism including a driven member and an engine member engageable by said driven member, a magneto supplying ignition current to said engine, manually operable means for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine f operating after said manual means for drivably 1 connecting said magneto with said starting mechanism. n

8. In combination with an engine starter of the type directly engageable with a rotatable part of the engine, an auxiliary` engine unit toy be 1| driven, means operatively connected to said starter for driving the rotor of said unit at substantial speed, and means for automatically connecting said rst named means with said rotor,

said last named means being responsive to the 11 transmission of torque to said rotatable engine par.

9.*'In combination with an engine starter, an auxiliary unit having a rotor adapted to be driven from said starter, meansv including normally dis- 1i engaged torque transmitting elements for imparting the rotation of said starter to said rotor, and means operable only upon completion of the acceleration of the starter for engaging said torque transmitting elements.

10. In combination with an engine starter, an auxiliary unit to be driven, means for driving said unit including a slidable clutch member, and means for moving said clutch member into driving position, said/means including a starter driven 11 screw thread and a cooperating screw thread on said slidable clutch member.

11. In combination with starting mechanism for an internal combustion engine, such mechanism including a driven member adapted to be 11 engaged with a member of theJ engine to be started, an auxiliary unit to be driven during the starting operation only, means for moving said driven member into engagement with the engine member, and helical means operated independ- 1l ently of said rst named means for establishing a driving connection between said starting mechanism and said driven unit.

12. In combination with engine starting meehanism including a driven member adapted to be 1` moved into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, an auxiliary unit to be driven from said starting `mechanism, manually` operable means for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member, andv 1 means for effecting driving connection between said starting mechanism and driven unit, said last named driving connection being established by vir'tueof the release of energy accumulated in the driving element of the starting mechanism 1` moved into operative engagement with the en' gine to be started, an auxiliary unit adapted to be y driven by Said mechanism, manually operable means for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member, andtorque responsive means operating independently of said manual means for operatively connecting said driven unit with said starting mechanism.

14. In combination with an engine starter including a flywheel and means for accelerating said flywheel, an engine'accessory adapted to be rotated at high speed by said iiywheel, means including normally disengaged clutch elements for imparting the rotation of said flywheel to said accessory, and means operable automatically following completion of the acceleration of the ywheel for engaging said clutch elements.

15. In combination-with an engine starter including a flywheel and means for accelerating said flywheel, an auxiliary unit having a rotor adapted to be driven from said flywheel, means including normally disengaged clutch elements for imparting the rotation'of said flywheel to said rotor, and means operable only upon completion of the acceleration of the flywheel for engagingv said clutch elements.

16. In combination with an engine starter em bodying a flywheel and means for accelerating said flywheel, an lauxiliary unit to be driven, means for driving said unit including a slidable clutch member, and means for moving said clutch member into driving position, said means including a flywheel driven screw thread and a cooperating screw thread on member. f

17. In combination with an engine starting mechanism including a driven member adapted to be moved into engagement with a member of said slidable clutch the engine to be started, an auxiliary unit to be driven from said starting mechanism, manually operable meansA for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member, and

means for eie'cting driving connection between said starting mechanismand driven unit, said last named driving connection being established by virtue of the release of energy accumulated in the driving element of the starting mechanism prior to operation of said engine engaging means.

18. In combination withan engine starter embodying a iiywheel and means for accelerating said flywheel, an auxiliary unit to be driven, means for driving said unit including a slidable clutch member, and means for moving said clutch member into driving position, said means including a part of said flywheel accelerating means operatively associated with said slidable clutchmember. ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

